Population 411,413 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Oakland
Household size in Oakland
| Period | Oakland | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.66 | 2.74 | 3.04 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.72 | 2.79 | 3.10 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.73 | 2.83 | 3.09 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.62 | 2.75 | 3.01 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.04 | +0.01 | −0.03 | −0.03 |
At 2.62 people per household, Oakland sits close to the national average of 2.65. The typical household here is smaller than in the wider San Francisco area, where it has 2.75 people. Household size has edged down from 2.66 in 2006–10, as it has nationally.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Oakland
| Period | Oakland | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.3 | 38.6 | 35.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.6 | 39.4 | 36.8 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.5 | 40.1 | 37.9 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.7 | 41.3 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.4 | +2.7 | +3.1 | +2.3 |
At 38.7, the median age in Oakland is close to the national median of 40.1, so its age mix looks much like the country's. The population here is younger than in the San Francisco area as a whole, where the median age is 41.3. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 36.3, in line with the national trend.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Oakland
| Period | Oakland | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.6% | 10.3% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.6% | 9.9% | 13.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.8% | 9.1% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.8% | 8.8% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.8 pts | −1.5 pts | −1.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit more common in Oakland than nationally: 12.8%, against 11.6%. The single-parent share is down 2.8 points from 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Oakland
Renters in Oakland
| Period | Oakland | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 57.8% | 43.7% | 42.6% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 60.3% | 46.2% | 45.2% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 59.5% | 45.3% | 45.2% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 57.9% | 44.5% | 44.1% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.2 pts | +0.8 pts | +1.5 pts | +1.5 pts |
Most households in Oakland rent: 57.9% of occupied homes are rented, far above the national share of 34.8%. Expect more apartments, and more turnover, than in owner-heavy areas. Nearly a third of owners (32.2%) have paid off their mortgages, below the national share of 39.8%. Of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people, only 52 have a higher share of renters.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Oakland
| Period | Oakland | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.2% | 8.6% | 8.7% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 9.7% | 7.1% | 8.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.3% | 6.5% | 7.5% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 8.1% | 7.5% | 7.3% | 9.6% |
| Change | −4.1 pts | −1.1 pts | −1.4 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy in Oakland is close to the national rate: 8.1% of homes are empty, against 9.6%. Since 2006–10, vacancy has fallen 4.1 points, in line with the national trend.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Oakland
| Period | Oakland | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1951 | 1964 | 1972 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1953 | 1965 | 1973 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1954 | 1966 | 1974 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1958 | 1968 | 1976 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +4 | +4 | +6 |
The housing in Oakland is old by national standards: the median home dates to 1958, against 1980 for the U.S., so buyers will find more older houses, some of them due for updates. The median year built has moved up from 1951 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the west, while the center has the oldest housing. Only 27 of the 689 California cities with 5,000+ people have older homes.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Oakland
| Period | Oakland | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $1,120 | $1,452 | $1,298 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $1,201 | $1,551 | $1,379 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $1,591 | $2,139 | $1,721 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $2,124 | $2,666 | $2,229 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$1,004 | +$1,214 | +$931 | +$606 |
The median renter in Oakland pays $2,124 a month for rent and utilities, well above the national median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are lower than in the wider San Francisco area ($2,666). Rent has climbed $1,004 a month since 2006–10, up 90%, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 33.6% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Oakland
Bachelor's degrees in Oakland
| Period | Oakland | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.4% | 42.5% | 29.1% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 35.0% | 44.1% | 30.1% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 41.1% | 48.9% | 32.9% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 45.9% | 52.2% | 36.3% | 35.6% |
| Change | +13.5 pts | +9.7 pts | +7.1 pts | +7.2 pts |
Oakland is highly educated: more than four in ten adults 25 and older (45.9%) hold at least a bachelor's degree, far above the national share of 35.6%. Even so, the share is lower than in the wider San Francisco area (52.2%). The share with a degree is up 13.5 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Oakland
| Period | Oakland | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 75.9% | 86.8% | 79.9% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 78.2% | 87.5% | 80.7% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 80.6% | 88.8% | 82.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 82.9% | 89.1% | 84.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +7.1 pts | +2.3 pts | +4.3 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in six adults in Oakland never finished high school, well above the national share: only 82.9% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 7.1 points, mirroring the country.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Oakland
| Period | Oakland | San Francisco area | California | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.9% | 7.8% | 9.2% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.6% | 8.9% | 11.3% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.4% | 4.6% | 6.3% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.5% | 5.8% | 6.6% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.4 pts | −2.0 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment runs a little high in Oakland: 6.5% of the labor force was out of work and looking, against 5.4% nationally. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 4.4 points, as it has nationally. Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Oakland compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oakland | 2.62 | 38.7 | 12.8% | 57.9% | 8.1% | 1958 | $2,124 | 45.9% | 82.9% | 6.5% |
| Piedmont | 2.75 | 45.5 | 6.8% | 14.0% | 6.6% | 1942 | $2,644 | 87.9% | 98.8% | 2.0% |
| Alameda | 2.59 | 41.7 | 9.4% | 49.3% | 8.4% | 1963 | $2,681 | 61.2% | 93.8% | 5.4% |
| Canyon | 2.39 | 44.2 | 4.8% | 7.0% | 4.1% | 1970 | $3,267 | 83.1% | 98.9% | 3.9% |
| Emeryville | 2.20 | 36.0 | 11.2% | 68.9% | 11.1% | 1965 | $2,440 | 61.7% | 94.6% | 7.1% |
| Berkeley | 2.33 | 37.5 | 5.4% | 53.4% | 13.2% | 1953 | $2,378 | 74.8% | 96.1% | 5.9% |
| Moraga | 2.77 | 41.2 | 4.8% | 15.9% | 5.0% | 1972 | $3,154 | 80.6% | 98.6% | 6.5% |
| Orinda | 2.74 | 48.0 | 4.7% | 10.1% | 3.5% | 1965 | $2,489 | 84.9% | 98.2% | 3.6% |
| Orinda Village | 2.66 | 50.3 | 8.5% | 6.5% | 7.1% | 1989 | $3,347 | 76.0% | 97.7% | 4.0% |
| San Leandro | 2.93 | 43.1 | 9.9% | 41.8% | 5.7% | 1960 | $2,366 | 33.6% | 82.2% | 5.0% |
| Albany | 2.44 | 39.7 | 6.3% | 46.0% | 6.7% | 1959 | $2,608 | 78.1% | 97.7% | 3.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Newark, DE · Norcross, GA · Noblesville, IN · Newport News, VA · Northridge, CA · Newnan, GA · Norwalk, CA · Norwalk, CT · New York, NY · Newark, NJ
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Oakland. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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